Flash light equipment



y 1934- M. SCHWARTZ 1,959,931

FLASH LIGHT EQUIPMENT Filed Dec. 29, 1930 Patented May 22, 1934 1,959,931 e a FLASHiLlGHT EQUIPMENT. Morris Schwartz, BrooklymN. Y., 'gs'igiior of onethird to Samuel Zagat', Brooklyn; N.

Y., and

j Annmarie My invention to vgflashlight equipment and the like articles, and is particularly directed to apparatus used in'c'onnection with an -electric, I

photographic'flash -lamp.. I r q The flash lamps-nowon the market simulate the ordinary electric incandescent lampsan'd have -material .on-ethe bulb: :portions. thereof adapted tobe ignited for 1a single burning-to give a flashlight for photographic: and the like purposes. Thesefiash lamps are ordinarily packed in tubular paper board containers of square cross-section, open at both ends, and-provided with corrugations onthe inner surface thereof, for retaining the lamp therein. The containers are ordinarily-packed into a case or carton for shipping. and. storing purposes. 'In ordinary use, the bulb hasheretofore been removed from the container and used either withv or: without, a rigid reflector. made rofmeta1- or other stifi material. Ordinarily, toa screw socket connected to a source of electric energy,: and upon 'closing theswitch, the material within the bulb is instantaneously ignited fora single. burning to produce a bright light, known as a flashlight, for photographic purposes. After use, the bulbs ordinarily; have heretofore been removed from the reflectors. Since photographic .work is to 'a -large: extent done outside of the studio; the reflectors must be transported to 'the'place where the-picture is to be taken.

It is an object of my invention to obviate the necessity for transporting and handling the heavy and. bulky rigid-reflectors, provision being made in accordance .with, this invention to produce an extremely simple and cheap foldable, flexible V packing and storing electric lamps, suchas reflector forethe fiashlamps which maybe, in-

corporated into the container used for Shipping and storing said; lamps, ;-my improved reflector further serving as a v a H bulbs, thus-rendering it unnecessary to remove thebulb from the reflector afteruse.

A further object of my inventionis to provide a combinationcontainer and reflector .f w ich shall be flexiblel'to' permitshaping-f'of the refiector, wherebylthe latter may be quicklyand j suit the conditions under readilyformedto I, A I which the photographis to be taken.

A still further: object 'of my invention 'is jto' t equipment of the I character described, which] shall'be extremely j simple to manipulate and use, which maybe made so cheap as to permit the use of the reflectoreven j f with only a single fiash lamp for a single flashlight Opeiatiomand' which shall yet be practical the fiashlamp is attached container for the used length of n'llecemlier 29, 1930, Serial No. 505,316 j 130mm." (a .240 102 I Other obje'cts of myinvention will in ,partrbe obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts-which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the'scope of applicationwill be indicated in the' following claims.-

In the accompanying drawing, in which-.is shown one of the various possible illustrative 65 embodiments of this' invention. 1 4 M Fig. '1 is-arear perspective view of an article embodying the invention, showing the. samein folded condition; as for example when storing 'or shipping the same;

' Fig". 2 is a front view of the device shown in Fig. 1 slightly open to show'the manner inwhich the container and reflector is folded for shipping purposesr i a Fig. 3' is a rear,-perspective--view of the device shown in Fig. lin position for use, and with-an electric cord attached to the lam'p forsupplying electrieitythfeto,*parts being broken away to show-the interior construction;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the-outside of the 're- 8 fiectorwith the lamp removed, showing the reflector in "open or unfolded position and ready for use; and a Fig! 5 is a partial, transverse, cross-sectional view of the combination container and reflector. 5 Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10

designates a combination lamp container" and reflector embodying the invention, here shown in the form of a device having the a characteristics and advantages of both a container for --fiash lamps for photography,- and a flexible reflector'for use in connectionwith thelamp.

The device 110 comprises a member 112 formed of paper board or; any 'other suitable material and having four sides or panels 12 of sub- "stantially similar dimensions to' form a tubular container of substantially square cross-section.

Acorrugated paper' board'lining 13 may beglued or'otherwise adhered to'the inner surface 14 of 'the outer members or panel's 12. A similar each ofthe four corners'r15= of the tubular member 11 is slit or-perforated to'permit similar portions 12a of the. member 12 forming fiapstobe spread apart or unfolded inthe manner of a flowers I Itwillbe noted that a shortportion 16 of "each corneris'not slit or perforated, so that the'rearof the box remains" tubular after the flaps 12a are opened as shown in'Fig. 3 ofthey drawing. A transverse sheet member or partition 17 made of cardboard or the like material flts within the tubular member adjacent to the points 16a where the slits 15 begin, said member 17 being provided with a central opening 18 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Attached to the inner surfaces of the flaps 12a. and to'the partition 1'7, is a reflector 20 preferably made of flexible material in the manner hereinafter described. v

The reflector 20 comprises portions 21, superimposed over the inner surface of the flaps 12 and the partition 1'7, and interconnecting web portions 23 foldable along a creasedradial midline 24 to permit the flaps to be folded inwardly in themanner shown in Fig. 2, so that the web portions 23 extending from one of the flaps 12a may be folded and placed against the inner face 'of the next adjacent flap 12a. The reflector member 20 may be made of paper backing 26 glued, as at 27, to the corrugated members 13, and,an:outer sheet 29 of polished foil glued to the inner surface of the paper backing 26. Obviously, any other suitable reflector having a polished surface may be substi- 'tuted for the reflector 20. For example, the

reflector may. comprise a sheet sprayed with of a lamp 32, here shown in the form of a flash lamp having material 33 inthe bulb portion thereof adapted to be ignited for instantaneous burning and flashing. The flash lamps 32 are of well-known construction, and as is well-known in the art, these lamps maybe used only once and then discarded. These lamps are usually shipped in tubular cardboard containers open at both ends. a plurality of said containers being placed in a case for shipment. In use, the lamps are usually removed from the containers and mounted .on a reflector for directing the light towards the objectto be photographed. Heretofore, only rigid, heavy, bulky and comparatively expensive reflectors have been used, and since a large number of the flashphotographer out of the studio to the place where the picture is to be taken, the me of the rigid reflectors involves considerable difficulty and expense. With my combination containerand reflector, these difficulties are obviated, since the containers are light and it is easy to carry the lamp therein. Furthermore, the foil and paper reflector is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, making it practical to use the reflector even for a single flash with a single lamp. Moreover, whereas the rigid reflectors, cannot be shaped by. the photographer to throw the lightover a particular area, with my construction, the flexible reflector may be shapedeasily and readily with the hands so as to assume" a wide variety of shapes. The device 10 further servesas a container for the used lamps.

A rubber band 35 may be used-for retaining the flaps 12a in folded condition. Instead of the corners 15 being slit, a tab may be pasted to adjacent corner portions of the flaps for retaining the device in folded condition, and said tabs removed when it is desired to unfold the containers. Furthermore, the corners 15 may "folded in any suitable manner on the inside of the device, and around the lamp 32.

As shown in Fig. 3, an ordinary electric cord or duplex cable 36 may be employed for connecting the bulb to an electric power source. The cord 36 is provided with a socket 3'7 adapted for attachment to the lamp base 31 and with a plug 38 for connection to a suitable receptacle.

Although the device 10 has been described in connection with a flash'bulb, it will be readily understood that the same may be used with any electric lamp or lighting unit as a container and/or reflectortherefor.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a device-in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted tomeet the conditions of;-practica1 use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be i'made in they embodiment above set forth, it is tosbe understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 1. As an article of .manufacture, a tubular shipping container of uniform square cross-section throughout for housing a single lamp, and flexible means at the'inside of said container adapted to be spread apart, toserve as a reflector for said lamp. 1 i

2.-As. an article of manufacture, a tubular shipping container of substantially uniform cross-section throughout forhousing a lamp,

said container being adapted, to slidably receive and frictionally-grip the bulb portion of said lamp, and flexible unfoldable means on the inside of said container adapted to be spread open, to serve as a reflector for said lamp.. 1

3. A device of the character described, comprising a tubular member made of flexible material and formed with a plurality of spaced slits to permit portions of said member to be bent back and a reflector attached to the inner surface of said portions. v.

4. 'A device of the character described, comprising a tubular member formed with a plurality of spaced slits to permit 'portions of said member to be spread, and a reflector attached to the inner surface of 'said'portions, said reflector comprising flexible web portions interconn cting said portions. I 5. As an article of manufacture; a tubular member of substantially non-circular cross-section adapted to receive a lamp and frictionally grip the bulb portion thereof, outwardly unfoldable means associated with'said membento serve as a reflector for said lamp, and a transverse member withinsaid tubular portion having an opening for receiving the base of said lamp.

6.;As' an article of manufacture, a member having a tubular portion and portions extending therefrom adapted to be spread apart, said member being adapted to receive a lamp having a bulb portion and a base for said bulb portion, means associated with said member sewing as a reflector for said lamp, and a transverse member fitted Within sad tubular portion having an opening therein adapted to receive the base portion of said lamp for supporting the same.

7. As an article of manufacture, a member adapted to receive a lamp having a bulb portion and a base for said bulb portion, said member having a tubular portion and portions adapted to be spread apart, a transverse member fitted within said tubular portion having an opening therein adapted to receive the base portion of said lamp for supporting the same, and a reflector secured to the inner surfaces of said spreadable portions and to the adjacent surface of said transverse member, said reflector having web portions interconnecting said spreadable portions, said web portions being folded against said spreadable portions.

8. In combination with a lamp having a bulb portion and a lamp base, a tubular container for said lamp having walls frictionally gripping the bulb for retaining the lamp therein, and means within said container and disposed between said bulb and inner surfaces of said container serving as a reflector for said lamp, portions of said container being adapted to be spread apart, said reflecting means comprising flexible portions interconnecting said spreading portions.

9. In combination with an electric flash lamp, a shipping container therefor, said container being of uniform transverse cross-section and frictionally gripping the bulb portion of said flash lamp, and reflecting means for said flash lamp within said container, said reflecting means being folded and flexible.

10. In combination, a lamp having a bulb portion, a tubular shipping container for said lamp slidably receiving and gripping the bulb portion of said lamp, and reflecting means on said container comprising flat unfoldable portions adapted to be spread apart, and web portions interconnecting said flat portions.

11. In combination, a lamp having a bulb portion, a tubular member gripping said bulb portion, and reflecting means associated with said member, said means comprising portions adapted to be spread apart, and web portions interconnecting said first portions.

12. In combination with a lamp having a bulb portion, and a lamp base, a tubular container of substantially square cross-section throughout having walls slidably receiving and frictionally gripping the bulb portion of said lamp for retaining the lamp therein, and means associated with the interior of the container serving as a reflector for said lamp, said means comprising folded and flexible portions disposed between said bulb and said container and adapted to be spread apart.

13. In combination with 'a lamp having a bulb portion, and a lamp base, a tubular container of substantially square cross-section throughout having walls slidably receiving and frictionally gripping the bulb portion of said lamp for retaining the lamp therein, and means associated with the interior of the container serving as a reflector for said lamp, said means comprising folded and flexible portions disposed between said bulb and said container and adapted to be spread apart, and web portions interconnecting said spread apart portions.

MORRIS SCHWARTZ. 

